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*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ several centuries after it had last ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ belonged to us, we went on an outing to ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the glass factory that bore our family ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ name. it had changed owners many times ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ since our ancestors death, and then ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ stood abandoned for a long while. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ finally, the natural end station for ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the buildings that survive: a museum, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ and a gift shop. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ there's a long time since my family ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ made anything. by many, we would be ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ considered poor. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ there are two main factory buildings, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ domed things of several floors, made in ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ yellow brick. large but narrow windows, ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ reminescent of some cathedral. ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ custom-made glass, of course, large and ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ leaded, and ashen. a bit too dark to be ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
@@&&*†~^¨¨ practical. on the eastern building, ¨¨^~†*&&@@
#@@&&*†~^¨ some are shattered. ¨^~†*&&@@#
@@&&*†~^¨¨ ¨¨^~†*&&@@
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ the other one is publicly open. there's ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ a museum, with wax figures of my great ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ great great grandfather, or something. ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ various tools (or replicas) laid out on ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ tables, with explaining texts. a lot of ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ glass of varying thickness. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ i quickly sneak out, and climb into the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ other building. the contrast is ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ overwhelming. it must have stood ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ derelict for a long time, windows ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ broken, metallic trash and pools of ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ dark glass all over the floor. no ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ electric lights, but i can see by the ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ light that shines in wherever the dark ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ windows are missing a pane. ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
@@&&*†~^¨¨ however, the greatest difference is the ¨¨^~†*&&@@
#@@&&*†~^¨ higher floors: this building has none. ¨^~†*&&@@#
@@&&*†~^¨¨ it is one massive hall, stretching away ¨¨^~†*&&@@
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ infinitely above me. somewhere up there ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ is some great iron latticework, from ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ where chains are suspended, and parts ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ of machinery has been falling down. ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ there is, in the middle of the great ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ hall, a thin spiral staircase that ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ leads up there. i sneak over there, and ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ take a few reluctant steps. after just ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ a revolution, i notice that for each ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ step the building starts to glow, the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ bricks turning a dark red, and then ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ orange, all the piled up debree being ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ lit from behind. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ i stop ready to run down and out, but ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ there's someone else on the staircase ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ with me now, pressed close. he's ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ looking like me, short hair and thin ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ arms, but with ears from some animal, ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ and more disturbingly, completely made ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ of dark liquid glass. ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
@@&&*†~^¨¨ ** ¨¨^~†*&&@@
#@@&&*†~^¨ ** ** ¨^~†*&&@@#
@@&&*†~^¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨^~†*&&@@
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ my fear holds me in place while he ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ starts operating levers and dials set ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ in the center of the staircase. slowly, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ it starts spinning, circling upwards. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ it's an elevator! i start to run ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ downwards, but now the liquid boy ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ creature grabs hold of me. i try to ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ shake him off, but he's too strong, and ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ pulls me back up beside him. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ this time, i turn angry instead. what ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the hell? who is this guy, acting like ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ this? i reach out my free arm and slam ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ a random lever. some metal bar is ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ suddenly released between us, hitting ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ him on the arm, forcing my release. i ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ shove him off of me, and he falls into ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ the levers, messing them up. ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ immediately, a thin rusty chainmail ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ curtain is dropped around me. but the ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
@@&&*†~^¨¨ elevator also speeds up significantly. ¨¨^~†*&&@@
#@@&&*†~^¨ ¨^~†*&&@@#
@@&&*†~^¨¨ the walls are flaring now, yellow, ¨¨^~†*&&@@
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ white, almost blue. i close my eyes and ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ curl into a ball. but then, the glass ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ boy screams, a piercing sound that ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ forces my eyes back open. i watch as he ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ becomes too liquid, his body pooling ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ down in his now massive tail, and the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ tip of it suddenly breaks of in a glass ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ drop that falls toward the factory ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ floor. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ he's crawling on the stairs, unable to ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ keep his body upright. can't reach the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ levers, claws at my chainmail cage, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ while his body is turning into dark ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ pearls. finally, he's lost too much of ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ himself and the scream is cut short. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the last of him rains down. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ i still can't reach the levers from ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ within my cage. looking up, i try to ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ make out the ceiling, but it's all a ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ whirling sea of colours. below me glows ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ the hellfire of the factory walls, but ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
@@&&*†~^¨¨ very faint. i sit down, curl back up, ¨¨^~†*&&@@
#@@&&*†~^¨ become still. ¨^~†*&&@@#
@@&&*†~^¨¨ ¨¨^~†*&&@@
@&&*†~^¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨^~†*&&@
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ a large clunk shakes my entire body, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ and snaps me back into reality. i'm ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ back at the factory floor, but the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ stairs are still moving slightly, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ clicking in place, carrying me the last ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ few centimeters. i came from below, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ somehow. the chainmail is retracted, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ and i slowly dismount the stairs. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ shaking and crying, i make my way over ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the factory floor, wading through dark ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ glass marbles. a quick glance down, and ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~
†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ i see there's something faint inside ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†
*†~^¨¨¨¨¨¨ them. embryos? are these eggs? ¨¨¨¨¨¨^~†*
&*†~^¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨^~†*&
&&*†~^¨¨¨¨ i shudder, and climb back out. ¨¨¨¨^~†*&&
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